Transaction devices are portable items that store data, such as credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, access cards, and cards for various prepaid services or goods. Magnetically encoded transaction devices typically store data in a magnetic strip. “Smart cards” are transaction devices that store data in nonvolatile memory, and typically contain data processing circuitry that offers some degree of computing capacity.
This application includes subject matter related to the following applications, which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,286, issued Feb. 15, 2000, entitled “Smart card providing a plurality of independently accessible accounts,” by Bradley, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,232, issued Jun. 25, 1996, entitled “Multi-application data card,” by Taylor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,232 provides a multi-application smart card capable of substituting for a plurality of existing single-application smart cards that may be used in connection with several different accounts. A smart card reader enables the smart card user to select one of the applications on the smart card. U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,286 discloses a smart card that maintains up to four individual accounts, where each account is associated with a different quadrant of the card. The user simply selects the appropriate account by properly orienting the card upon inserting it into a smart card reader.
A smart card may be a “proximity read” smart card, which may communicate with a card reader without physically contacting the card reader. Communication between a proximity read smart card and various types of card readers may occur via a radio frequency signal, optical signal, wireless Internet connection, or other communication method known in the art. A proximity read smart card may be a radio frequency identification card, or RFID card. When an RFID card is brought into the proximity of a card reader, a radio frequency signal may be exchanged between the RFID card and the card reader. An RFID card may be used to make automatic payments at, for example, highway tolls, or to provide access to restricted areas. An RFID card in an automobile may be read by a card reader at a toll booth. As the automobile passes through the toll booth, the card reader may cause a toll to be automatically deducted from a prepaid account or billed to a credit card.
A mobile device, such as a mobile phone, may include a smart card. Thus, if a card reader is present at a location where commercial transactions occur or where proximity read smart cards are used, the smart card in the mobile device may make payments, provide access to restricted areas, and perform other functions or transactions typically performed by smart cards. A mobile device may implement the functionality of multiple smart cards by containing a super-smart card, a smart card that emulates multiple smart cards by containing multiple smart card applications. A smart card application is the software, hardware, or combination of both that provides the capability of a smart card. Multiple smart card applications on a smart card enable the smart card to emulate each smart card corresponding to each smart card application.